Wayne looks to alert parents at drug forum

By Debra Winters

Staff Writer |

Wayne Today

WAYNE - The second annual Wayne Township drug forum was sparsely attended on June 3, leaving panel guests to presume that parents are in denial despite concrete evidence dictating that heroin use has infiltrated their neighborhood, according to the Wayne Police Department and other entities.

Elaine Tumminello, of Wayne, wipes tears as she listens to friend Donna Andelora speaking about the loss of her son to a heroin overdose at a second annual township drug forum. Andelora is seen sharing her emotional story about her son Joseph's heroin overdose.

About 150 attended the event at Wayne Valley High School. Parents of middle and high school students were notified via mailed letters and individual schools made phone calls and sent e-mails.

"We are not in denial. We've put additional police manpower on patrol. We are not in denial. But when I see so many empty seats here, I think perhaps you are in denial. If we drive to Paterson tonight, we can find our kids buying heroin and that ladies and gentlemen is the truth. The other day, I saw a woman outside the police department here. She grabbed me crying saying she needed help because her daughter is on drugs, and I said, 'you came to the right place.' But when I see these empty seats, it makes me think. I'd like to thank all of you who did show up, you obviously are showing concern," said Mayor Chris Vergano.

Superior Judge Rudolph A. Filko, who serves on the state's drug court, said his active case roster includes 475 members of which 34 percent or 160 hail from suburban towns such as Wayne.

"Over the last six months, three have overdosed on heroin, all of which were from suburban towns, and that number is rising. It's not just a Paterson or a Passaic problem... not any more," Filko said.

Speaking about the drug history of a real female Wayne student he has dealt with, Filko said heroin use becomes so rampant that she can't get out of bed without using heroin.

"It gets to the point where she can't function without it and it becomes an expensive habit. The use of 30, 40, 50 bags of heroin a day is not unusual. I see it every single day. That's when the burglaries in the area become frequent to support the habit," he added.

Resident Donna Andelora, whose son Joseph died from a heroin overdose two days before Christmas in 2012, at age 22, once again shared her story in hopes of educating the public.

"Joseph came from a regular middle class family. He was involved in town sports and the Wayne PAL just like other kids. He was very smart and kept a dictionary by his bed because he wanted to learn a new word each day. His drug use began with marijuana then he went to oxycontin and eventually heroin. Please take heed, heroin use wraps itself around you with its tentacles and it will not let go. It can happen to anyone in your family. I'm here to say take your heads out of the sand and open your eyes," Andelora said.

Jason Harding, of the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, said 10 years ago the big drug of choice was crack cocaine. Heroin was not as big as it is now. It came on with the explosion of prescription pills such as oxycontin and oxycodone, he added, saying, "and the situation is gravely worsening."

Smart phones, which are not categorized as "flip phones," are a widely used instrument for drug addicts acquiring their fixes, according to Harding, based on his department's investigations.

"If your kids have a cell phone plan with a smart phone, everything is on it. You should monitor their activity on a daily basis," said Harding.

Wayne Police Det. Capt. Mark McGrath said most drug issues begin with alcohol. And now big on the market are fake fraudulent driver's licenses that look completely authentic. Further information on where they are being obtained will be reported pending an ongoing investigation.

"For around $100 kids can obtain two in case one license is confiscated. Take nothing for granted as a parent. Be aware of everything your kids are doing," McGrath warned.

The problem is here, say the Wayne Police. And they need your help.

Det. Sgt. Jay Celentano, of the Wayne Police Special Operations and Narcotics Unit, said they receive a great deal of calls from parents asking police to come and arrest their kids because of drug issues. The special operations unit in 2013 received and investigated 156 intelligence tips from concerned residents.

"If you see something in your neighborhood that doesn't look right chances are its not," he said.

Anyone with information to share is urged to call the Wayne Police at either 973-633-3550 or 973-633-3587.

Parents should also be vigilant as to what their kids are ordering online and having delivered to the home. As states continue to legalize marijuana, it's becoming easier to invent means to sell it. One example is gummy bears that are being injected with tetrahydrocannabinol or THC oil. THC is found in the cannabis plant, which marijuana is made from.

Michael Renwick. assistant principal at Wayne Hills High School, also noted the many empty seats despite the town and the schools being proactive in alerting parents on the alarming issues surrounding heroin.

"We are hands-on in our approach in training teachers on what to look for and new drug trends," said Renwick, who grew up with an alcoholic parent. "Children want structure - no matter what their mouths say. It's important as a parent to say 'no,' check your child's friends, have dinner together, and slow down to talk to your kids."

The Wayne Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse, a volunteer-based operation, has formed a roundtable where those interested can come and ask questions of moderators. The next scheduled one is June 9 at 10 a.m. in the Wayne Township Health Department Room #2 located inside the municipal complex. It's otherwise run on an alternate month basis. For more information, call 973-694-1800, ext. 3244.

"It was a very informative forum and every parent should have been here. Parents definitely need to wake up and check their children's social media," said a concerned parent.

Another agreed, saying, "Parents are in denial judging by the amount of empty seats here tonight."

The forum will be aired on Channel 77 several times and made available to download on www.waynetownship.com and www.wayneschools.com.

Wayne looks to alert parents at drug forum

Elaine Tumminello, of Wayne, wipes tears as she listens to friend Donna Andelora speaking about the loss of her son to a heroin overdose at a second annual township drug forum. Andelora is seen sharing her emotional story about her son Joseph's heroin overdose.

"We are hands-on in our approach in training teachers on what to look for and new drug trends," said Renwick, who grew up with an alcoholic parent. "Children want structure - no matter what their mouths say. It's important as a parent to say 'no,' check your child's friends, have dinner together, and slow down to talk to your kids."

The Wayne Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse, a volunteer-based operation, has formed a roundtable where those interested can come and ask questions of moderators. The next scheduled one is June 9 at 10 a.m. in the Wayne Township Health Department Room #2 located inside the municipal complex. It's otherwise run on an alternate month basis. For more information, call 973-694-1800, ext. 3244.

"It was a very informative forum and every parent should have been here. Parents definitely need to wake up and check their children's social media," said a concerned parent.

Another agreed, saying, "Parents are in denial judging by the amount of empty seats here tonight."

The forum will be aired on Channel 77 several times and made available to download on www.waynetownship.com and www.wayneschools.com.